By Anjini Taneja Azhar
When you’re a writer with a great script that’s ready to be seen by the world, a great logline is a must-have, powerful tool. It’s the calling card to your script and serves as a writer’s ‘elevator pitch’ that could land you that general meeting, representation, or even a pitch meeting for the script. An effective logline leaves a listener wanting more and highlights the strongest elements of your script.
Ready to write a logline that sells? Here are 5 tips for crafting a killer logline:
1. IDENTIFY THE FOUR KEY INGREDIENTS OF YOUR LOGLINE
A logline may seem daunting – the idea of summarizing your film or pilot in one statement can feel like no easy feat, but it doesn’t have to make you lose sleep. A logline can be broken down into four pieces that make up a simple equation. These pieces are:
The protagonist + the inciting incident + the protagonist’s goal + the central conflict =
AN EFFECTIVE LOGLINE
For example, one famous example can be found in Disney’s FINDING NEMO logline:
“When his son is captured from the Great Barrier Reef and taken to Sydney, a nervous clownfish sets out on a dangerous journey across the ocean to bring him home.”
Notice this logline has every one of the four pieces; its protagonist (a nervous clownfish), the inciting incident (his son is captured), the central conflict (embarking on a dangerous journey), and his goal (to bring his son home).
Once you master identifying these four key pieces to a logline, you’ll become a pro at crafting a logline in no time. In many cases, if it’s difficult to pinpoint any of these elements, it may indicate a hole in a screenplay. In this way, a logline and a script have a symbiotic relationship.
2. IT’S A LOGLINE – NOT A TAGLINE!
Loglines are often mistaken for taglines. A tagline is a sentence, sometimes even a catchy statement or a sentence fragment, generated by a film’s marketing team. For example, ‘A crazy story about love!’ could be a tagline – it is something that you’d see on a poster. A logline is not a tagline. Notice how taglines do not include a protagonist, inciting incident, central conflict, or goal. As writers we want to sell our scripts the best we can, so it’s easy to fall into making the logline sound like a sales pitch. Fear not, the best sales pitch is a clear logline that tells your audience exactly what your film is about.
3. KEEP IT SHORT AND SWEET
A logline can also be confused with a synopsis. A synopsis is a longer summary of the film or pilot’s overall plot. They can be anywhere from a few sentences to a paragraph or even a page long. A logline, on the other hand, should be kept at around 30 words or less (about a sentence). A logline is short and sweet: it’s your elevator pitch! It should be concise, punchy, and crystal-clear.
Want to learn more about a great elevator pitch and how a logline can help? Check out our free Ultimate Guide to Pitching!
4. PAINT A PICTURE WITH VIVID VOCABULARY
Even though a logline should be short and sweet, make sure it evokes the tone of your script. If you’re writing a horror, use tension to craft your logline statement. If you’re writing a romance, use vivid vocabulary that evokes a feeling of love or hope. If your character is embarking on a journey, is it a harrowing journey? An introspective journey? Just like in your screenplay, make sure you paint a picture with words.
A great example can be found in FIGHT CLUB, whose logline reads:
“An insomniac office worker and a devil-may-care soap maker form an underground fight club that evolves into much more.”
There’s tension, intrigue, and even mystery that leaves an audience wanting to hear more – what does the club evolve into? Who are these characters? A logline should use specific vocabulary and tension to make you want to read that script!
5. GIVE THE POWER TO YOUR PROTAGONIST
Your protagonist is the north star of your script. Their choices, their journey, their flaws, their strengths – these are what drive a great story. A logline is not too different from this. Ensuring your protagonist is described in a concise yet compelling manner can take your logline to the next level.
Let’s say, your protagonist is a New York writer. Don’t just write ‘a New York writer.’ Give him/ her a trait that drives their journey in the script. Are they an anxious writer? A troubled writer? A proud writer? Writing a vivid protagonist into a logline with a trait that directly involves their arc or journey can paint a clear picture, set your logline apart, and immediately pull in a reader/listener and make them want to learn more. And isn’t that the goal?
Curious if your logline and script are ready for the next step? Check out our Coverage Services to receive comprehensive feedback from our professional reader team and help get your materials industry-ready!
